Fermentation is a process used in multiple food products, including beer, wine, and several other beverages. During the fermentation process, yeast consumes sugars and produces alcohol and carbon dioxide. In some fermentation processes, such as with beer making, the yeast may consume all or a very high percentage of certain sugars and at that point most of the yeast may die off or go dormant.
Fermentation may be dependent on temperature. Certain yeast strains may perform differently at different temperatures, and in general fermentation temperatures are selected to optimize the results of the fermentation. In some situations, higher temperatures may produce unwanted byproducts or off flavors, while lower temperatures may take an impractical amount of time to complete fermentation.
When the fermentation process is properly managed, a consistent product may be produced from batch to batch in a reasonable and predictable amount of time.